Teeth Grinding Side Effects: How grinding teeth impacts oral health | - Times of India (2024)

Ill effects of grinding teeth

Bruxism

is a repetitive muscular activity of the jaw that is described by clenching, grinding teeth, thrusting and bracing of lower jaw leading to prolonged tooth contact and wearing off of the tooth structure from the resultant friction. Different symptoms such as excessive

tooth wear

, frequent grinding sounds, intermittent jaw muscle fatigue or pain, and/ or temporal headache, and/ or jaw locking often upon awakening in mornings are often stated by individuals.

It can be done during the day or during sleep.

Signs of Bruxism

Each person may experience bruxism in a different way. The following are some typical signs of bruxism:

Grinding or Clenching of Teeth: audible clenching or grinding of teeth, frequently detected by a family member or sleep companion.
Tooth Sensitivity

: As a result of enamel deterioration and dentin exposure, teeth become more sensitive to hot, cold, or sweet foods and drinks.
Jaw Pain

or Facial Discomfort: Often occurring or chronic stiffness or discomfort in the jaw muscles, especially in the morning.

Headaches: Tension headaches that come back and forth frequently, usually from the temples or back of the head, may be brought on by too much tensed jaw muscles.

Signs of wear and tear: Teeth that look flattened, chipped, broken, or have uneven surfaces.
Jaw Stiffness: The inability to open or close the mouth completely, combined with a locked-jaw feeling.
Sleep disturbances: Bruxism can cause sleep patterns to be disturbed, which can result in excessive daytime sleepiness or inexplicable exhaustion.
Receding gums: Gum recession is the receding gum line that exposes more of the tooth root, increasing the risk of periodontal disease and perhaps causing tooth sensitivity.

How to treat teeth grinding?

According to Dr.Vipin Dehane, HOD-Dentistry and Maxillofacial Surgery, Fortis Hospital, Mulund, Hiranandani Hospital Vashi & Consultant Maxillofacial Surgery, SL Raheja Hospital, Mahim, “Management of Bruxism is done by various forms of pharmacological, psychological and dental treatments that are usually directed towards tooth/ restoration protection, decrement of bruxism and pain alleviation. Various muscle relaxants, appliances such as Occlusal Splints, Mandibular Advancement Device (MAD); Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), relaxation and stress management are used for treatment.”

Candidiasis

Another issue an individual might face is Oral Thrush or Candidiasis, which is a fungal infection of the mouth caused by Candida Albicans. It usually occurs in those who are immunocompromised or on immunosuppressants, or those who have experienced chronic systemic steroid or antibiotic usage, also those with malnutrition, high sugar intake, those under high stress and those with poor oral hygiene and poor denture maintenance. Oral Thrush can appear in the oral cavity as white or erythematous lesions. White lesions develop as hyperplastic lesions or erythematous lesions (atrophic lesions in acute and chronic forms), median rhomboid glossitis, angular cheilitis and linear gingival erythema. Other rare oral types are chronic mucocutaneous, multifocal candidiasis and cheilocandidiasis. They are usually asymptomatic and appear on the tongue, labial and buccal mucosa, gums, hard and soft palate, and throat. A symptomatic patient experiences burning sensation in the mouth, oral bleeding, and changes in taste perception.

Diagnosis of Oral Candidiasis is often based on clinical examination, medical history, risk factors and assessment of lesion's response to antifungal treatment. Cultures and sensitivity tests are done if antifungal treatment is nonresponsive. Topical antifungal therapy and oral hygiene measures are the first line of therapy for uncomplicated cases of oral candidiasis and should be simultaneously adopted when systemic treatment is indicated. Systemic antifungal therapy is usually reserved for patients who are resistant or unyielding to topical treatment and those at higher risk of developing systemic infections. Hence, it is important to maintain a healthy balanced lifestyle for overall physical and emotional wellbeing.

Impact of stress on life

Most people belonging to varied strata of life have known to experience some form of negative stimuli or stress at some point of their lives. Stress can be defined as a feeling experienced when a person perceives that the needs placed on them surpass the available resources. Prolonged negative stimuli cause physical and emotional stress responses in the body.
Stress is often found to be associated with sudden life changes, hectic work environments, emotional disorders such as Anxiety, Depression; prolonged negative stimuli and various coping habits such as Bruxism, smoking, high alcohol, and coffee consumption; Sleep Apnea Syndrome, Insomnia, respiratory diseases and reduced immunity due to negative feedback mechanism.